Sainte-Chapelle

"The Palais de la Cité was the residence and seat of royal power from the 10th to the 14th centuries, and housed the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle which are now part of the Palace of Justice, the new function of the building. The Sainte-Chapelle was built between 1242 and 1248, in accordance with the wishes of Louis IX to house the relics of the Passion of Christ. The most famous of these relics was the Crown of Thorns, acquired in 1239 for a sum that greatly exceeded the cost of building the Chapel itself."

France is a country with a rich history of Catholism, and therefore many beautiful cathedrals, churches and chapels exists till today. This one however, deserves special attention, for despite its small size, its beauty captivated me a little more than the rest. In the Lower Chapel, there is a 13th-century fresco depicting the Annunciation, the oldest painting in Paris. My favorite however is the Upper Chapel, with its stained glass windows that depict 1,113 scenes of the story of mankind from Genesis to Christ's resurrection.

You will find long lines to the entrance of Sainte-Chapelle, but J & I figured out a way to skip the line! You need to walk down to the Conciergerie which is on the same street. Here, there are less people and you are able to buy twin tickets to Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. With the twin tickets, you are able to beat the line for the bag check, and again beat the line inside for entrance tickets.

Photos by Me
Metro: Cité

Les Colonnes de Buren

By far one of my favorite Parisian spots, it is hidden from the tourist path yet sits grand in the heart of Palais Royal. Les Colonnes de Buren (The columns of Buren) is a 3,000 m² sculpture erected by Daniel Buren in 1986, a French conceptual artist. Just like the Jeff Koons exhibition at Versailles, this sparked a debate about integrating modern and contemporary art with France's historical buildings. Personally, I love the old+modern look, it gives a kitschy edge that not just any city can pull off.

This is a perfect spot for picture taking, for taking a rest after a long walk, or to grab a bite of a sandwich perched on one of the columns. There's nothing much to do really, but I find myself coming back just to gaze around and daydream.

This square actually inspired the theme of my Malaysian wedding. This was our Alice In Wonderland/Colonnes de Buren inspired wedding cake!

Photos by Me
Cake photo by Saiful Nang
Metro: Palais Royal

Ballet de L'Opéra Caligula Le Riche

This ballet was created by the Ballet de L'Opéra National de Paris on 21st October, 2005. Star dancer Nicolas Le Riche claims his obsession with Caligula, the Roman Emperor who was stabbed by the age of 29. I am no expert to judge, but must admit that I was confused and a little disappointed with the performance. I didn't buy the program and was a little bit lost during the ballet's five acts.

There were hardly any costume changes, I didn't like the "modern twist" to the ballet and Vivaldi's music, and couldn't figure out the message of the projected screen. However, I was more than impressed by the orchestra, notably the conductor and violin soloist, Frédéric Laroque. Vivaldi was interpreted beautifully, and if I couldn't see the orchestra pit I would have believed that it was a CD being played.

The dancers were all graceful as usual. The men danced beautifully and elegantly, the women seemed like dancing puppets. Some parts of the choreography were messy, and some were boring. I even caught J looking up and enjoying the ceiling more than a few times during the ballet. But it was a nice outing for a Monday night, and it was short enough that we didn't feel trapped.

The most impressive part of the night was being in Opéra Garnier itself. Everything was extravagant, from the stairwells to the ceiling to the chandelier to the deco. I'm already trying to book tickets to other performances, preferably a gala the next time!

Metro: Opéra
Photos by Me

Pont des Arts

The Pont des Arts is Paris's first metallic bridge, built between 1802 and 1804 by engineers Louis-Alexandre de Cessart and Jacques Dillon. During the summertime, this bridge is famous for its picnics by students, artists and lovers. Over the years, a tradition of putting locks on the chain linked fence developed. This lock symbolizes the love between 2 people. Lovers from all over the world come here to "lock" their love, then throw the key into the Seine, the symbol of eternal and undying love.

Its all so cliché mais très romantique!! J'adore..

Metro: Pont Neuf Photos by Me

Montmartre

Montmartre is a beautiful area in the 18th arrondissement, and also one of the highest points in Paris. It is a hill that is 130 meters high, which gives you one of the best views of the city from above. The 18th arrondissement, you will see, has several faces. At the bottom of the hill lies the Pigalle neighborhood and its famous girls, where sex stores and clubs line up the streets. As you walk uphill, the price of apartments that are just one street apart can have a difference of €2,000 per square meter! As you get closer to the peak, you will find yourself in a beautiful residential area, where townhouses are covered in greenery and flowers, cafes are quaint and art seems to be the center of people's lives. Many films including Amélie and Sabrina featured this area of Paris.

At the top, the little streets hustle and bustle with commerce for the tourists. You will find here copies of vintage posters, postcards, and anything your heart desires to buy to bring back home as gifts. There are many crêperies, ice cream parlors and restaurants. Most of the restaurants here are overpriced for what they are, and not necessarily "authentic". You will also find many artists in the middle of the square who offer sketches and paintings.
Look up and you will see the stunning Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jeses. It is considered as a landmark, and can be seen all the way from the Centre de Pompidou in the heart of the city. In front of the basilic are steps that lead to one of the most breathtaking views of Paris. Have a seat on the steps and enjoy what you see!
Every time I have a friend or family visiting, this is one of the places where I absolutely make sure that they visit. It gets very busy up in the Sacré-Cœur area, but I always insist on the walk uphill. Without fail, everyone usually comments that it feels so "Paris", and that when they imagine Parisian lifestyle, this is it!

Metro: Anvers, Abbesses
Photos by AG

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Located on the eastern side of Paris in the residential 20th arrondissement, Pére Lachaise is the biggest cemetery in the city and one of the most famous in the world. Here lies the bodies of great painters, artists, writers, politicians, dancers, rock stars, and many more well known figures. The cemetery spreads over 118.6 acres and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.

Walking around Père Lachaise, I felt peaceful and not a little bit scared by the fact that I was in a cemetery. You know how scary graveyards are in Malaysia! The family catacombs were built in the style of Haussmanian architecture, at least to my eyes. They look like little apartments, the family name engraved proudly above the entrance. You will definitely need a map, especially if you are looking for a certain tomb. Maps are sold for €1 or €2 at the different entrances.

Metro: Père Lachaise, Gambetta
Photos by AG

Hotel Lotti

My father in law and his wife had the great of idea of checking out all the bars of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, and J & I were invited last night to join them in their crawl to Hotel Lotti. Located off my favorite square Place Vendôme, it stands proud among other shishi hotels on rue de Castiglione.

This charming little hotel of luxury is typical Paris, art and murals decorate the walls, an old school cube system for keeping the hotel keys, and charming staff who refer to 11 year old boys "Monsieur". Snacks at the bar include salads and burgers and are priced between €16-€30. The friendly ambience and super comfy sofas make you feel that you can just stay there the whole night.
Great spot if you want to have a quiet albeit chic night out, spend time with family, and if you appreciate a scrumptious, fat, juicy burger!

Checkout www.hotel-lotti-paris.com/
Photos By Me

Pompidou & Chez Georges

Ahhhh modern things. This building looks completely awkward, nestled in the middle of Old Paris in the Marais neighborhood. Yet its striking, its bold, love it or hate it, Centre Georges Pompidou is there.

Pompidou is the home to the Library of Public Information and The National Museum of Modern Art, the biggest of its kind in Europe. Each French President builds something to commemorate himself, and this one was created by the President of France from 1969-1974, Georges Pompidou.

I have spent a few times by myself strolling around the museum. Although I appreciate modern art more so than the classics, I still don't understand it nonetheless! The museum does not choke me, thanks to its wide open spaces. The art is fresh, it is sexual, it is interesting, and some I'd say even disturbing. If you feel that women should be covered from head to face to toe and her sole reason for living is to be subservient to her husband, I doubt you will appreciate this museum.

From the top floor of the center, you can see a beautiful panoramic view of Paris. You will also find the trendy fusion restaurant, Chez Georges. J and I often bring friends here not so much for the food, but for the view. After a few times being disappointed with the food and money we end up forking out, I suggest you come up here for the view and nothing else!

Looking out the window, I can't help but think of little Ratatouille, going around Paris, little mouse trying to be a chef and all... Its quaint, and it makes you realize that no matter how the Parisians are, you will admit that it is the most beautiful city in the world...

Metro: Rambuteau
Photos by me, Second by AG

Opéra Garnier

This is by far my favorite building in Paris, the National Opera House, Palais Garnier. It is the 13th theater that houses the Paris Opera, founded in 1669 by Louis XIV. The theater itself was built by unknown architect Charles Garnier during 15 years between 1860 and 1875. It is just BEAUTIFUL.

I have yet to attend an opera or a ballet here, it is just so difficult to get tickets. For certain operas, it is said that a 6 month-1 year advanced booking is necessary. However, for less known ballets, you can show up at the ticket booth the day of the show itself. If you're lucky, you can get pretty cheap tickets!

I shall be patient and wait for a gala opening, I've always loved dressing up for a fabulous night!

Since I have no pictures of the interior yet, checkout the video for a brief virtual tour.

Métro: Opéra
Photos by AG